Raptors eye Kings' All-Star big man. A potential package involving Barrett and Poeltl could headline a blockbuster deal before the deadline.
The Sacramento Kings have been in close contact with a number of prospective trade partners as the Feb. 5 trade deadline continues to inch closer, and a recent update has revealed yet another potential move the selling franchise can make.
Sacramento's most impactful current and former All-Star talents like Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan and Domantas Sabonis are actively being shopped, but the latter of the trio seems to have attracted another interested party.
Sabonis has only suited up 15 times for the Kings this season, but that hasn't stopped the Toronto Raptors from doing their due diligence, as a new report indicates that the Eastern Conference's No. 3 seed (28-19 rec.) might be a serious contender to land the 3-time All-Star and 3-time rebounding champion prior to the deadline.
Along with the update, NBA analyst Jake Weinbach offered up a few key hypothetical pieces that could land with the Kings if a deal were to be struck in the coming weeks.
"Domantas Sabonis is reportedly a strong trade candidate for the Raptors," Weinbach shared via X on Saturday afternoon.
"As I mentioned last summer, Toronto would be a logical suitor for the playmaking center," Weinbach continued.
"The Raptors would likely send out RJ Barrett, Jakob Poeltl, and draft compensation in any potential deal for Sabonis."
The Kings' multi-faceted big man will command a haul from any team aiming to acquire his services for the second half of this season and beyond, and a package including both RJ Barrett, Jakob Poeltl and (likely) first-round picks qualifies as such. However, it remains unlikely that Barrett can be one of the lead guys on a contending Kings iteration in the future.
Barrett is a sound wing who has developed to a fringe All-Star level over the past few seasons with Toronto, averaging 20.9 points, 6.1 rebounds and 4.7 assists in 114 career games with the Raptors.
After being dealt to Toronto from the New York Knicks before the deadline in 2023-24, Barrett has developed into a reliable supplementary scorer and improving play-making presence.
At just 25 years old, the Canadian guard-forward hybrid still has plenty of developing to do, but is his perceived ceiling worth the gamble for Sacramento's front office?
When it comes to the 10-year veteran Poeltl, taking on one of the better backup centers in all of the NBA is much less of a mental exercise for Kings general manager Scott Perry.
The 30-year-old rebounder and hyper-efficient play-finisher would more-than-likely net the Kings an additional first-round draft choice from a competing franchise, making his addition to the trade something of a no-brainer.
Regarding Barrett, it's possible that Sacramento takes a chance on the former No. 3 overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft to see if he can soar to new heights in a new destination.
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